I make two different sizes of ukuleles, a tenor and a baritone. These two models represent my interest in ukulele playing and building. As a custom builder, I make fine professional grade instruments. There are endless options and many fine standard appointments. I want my ukuleles to be just as nice as a custom made guitar.
BARITONE
This is one of my fancier tenor ukuleles. It’s made from a wood called Imbuia, which comes from Southern Brazil. It has a Janka Hardness of
970, this is right between two of the most popular ukulele tone woods,
koa (1,170) and mahogany (900). The hardness of a wood is one
indication of it’s capacity to be a suitable tone wood. The inlay on the headstock is a Dyer Style 2 peg head inlay. It is set into an an ebony headstock veneer and bound with a fine White/Black/White purfling.
The ebony fingerboard has a K-5 inlay set, and it is also bound with
the fine White/Black/White purfling. The rosette is a SS Stewart motif
that is set in a chocolate colored epoxy. All of the inlays, including the headstock, the fingerboard, and the rosette are in gold mother of
pearl. I didn’t want to use a black epoxy, because I wanted all of the components of the body to be this luscious brown. The body also has
the fine line purling and a rosewood binding, front and back. There is
an ebony heel cap to match the ebony saddle and the other ebony components. This tenor ukulele has a traditional scale length of 17”
and a nut width of 1 11/32”.
The challenge that I face when writing a spec sheet is that every
instrument that I’ve made has been different.
If you want a standard tenor ukulele, I can make you one, but it’s
going to be nice.
Standard appointments would include all solid tone
woods, carbon fiber truss rods, hand carved bone
nuts and compensated bone saddles. Nitrocellulose
lacquer, and a beautiful hand polished finish are
standard. You can also expect real mother of pearl
on the headstock, the fingerboard and in the
rosette.
If you were to ask me “What are my options?”, I would
reply that there are many. 4, 6, or 8 strings, a custom
inlay on the headstock, a choice of beautiful tone woods,
wood or ivroid bindings, different purfling options, a
custom inlay on the heel cap, or a sunburst on an
adirondack spruce top.
I want to make instruments that sound as good as
they look, and are a reflection of their owners.
The process is a collaboration, the result is a
treasured instrument.
Please call or write to discuss your ideas and
plans.
TENOR
This baritone is a typical “Standard” model. It’s body and neck are made from South American mahogany. East Indian rosewood is used for the headstock veneer, fingerboard, and saddle. It has a mother of pearl logo, fingerboard inlays, and rosette. The body has ivroid binding
on the top and back, and a double line purfling on the top.
A mother of pearl “W” is a standard appointment, custom headstock inlays are always an option.
The standard tuner is made by Gotoh, Waverlys are an option.
Nuts are made of bone, hand carved and polished.
The necks are reinforced with a carbon fiber truss rod. Fingerboards have a 12” radius. The fingerboard measure 1 11/32” at the nut. Fretboard inlays are mother of pearl on the front as well as on the sides.
Scale length for the baritone is 20 1/8th’’.
The neck joins the body at the 14th fret with a dovetail joint.
The bodies are all made of fine tone woods. Possibilities include tops, backs, and sides of flame koa or mahogany. Sitka or adirondack spruce tops complement cocobolo or East Indian rosewood back and sides. Please call or write to discuss your options.
Bindings and purfling are also options.
Rosette rings are mother of pearl or abalone. A contrasting wood
is also an option.
The bridge generally matches the fingerboard, the saddle is bone
and compensated for superior intonation. String spacing at the
saddle is 1 5/8”.
The finish is Nitrocellulose lacquer, hand buffed and polished. The
finish on the necks is a satin nitrocellulose lacquer.
A hard shell case is included with each instrument.